Well it could be used for your crotch if you are tall enough, or you have a weirdly high crotch with a weirdly short torso. Either way, it's a sweet-looking fixture with a lot of options. [Hansa via Trendir]

When a child begins washing their hands, the sink calmly advises them to, "HURRY UP YOU LITTLE FUCKER OR I WILL BITE YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF AND CHEW YOUR BONES RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU! YOUR LITTLE ARMS WILL BLEED ALL OVER THE PLACE, SPILLING OUT MY MOUTH AND ONTO THE FLOOR. YOUR DEATH WILL COME SLOWLY AS YOUR PERCEPTION PAINFULLY FADES TO GREY AND THEN BLACK—BY THE WAY, YOU WON'T BE GOING TO HEAVEN BECAUSE THERE'S NO GOD, SO YOUR BODY WILL JUST ROT IN THE GROUND AS EXISTENCE AS YOU KNOW IT CEASES FOR AN ETERNITY YOU'LL NEVER SEE. AND DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON WHAT DAD WILL SAY WHEN HE SEES THE MESS YOU MADE! WHAT A FUCK UP! NO WONDER YOUR PARENTS ARE GETTING A DIVORCE! WHAT? THEY DIDN'T TELL YOU? WELL STOP YOUR GODDAMN CRYING ABOUT IT, TEARS ARE A WASTE OF PRECIOUS WATER!"

(Or the sink uses an IR sensor, like you find in public rest rooms.) [Design Boom via inhabitots via inhabitat]

The touchscreen is the main appeal of this shower, not just because it provides the 3D experience, but because it controls everything from water temperature and jet intensities to video and sound. Yes, 3D and jets. Perfect combination.

It's been a while since there was a concept I wanted to turn into reality this much, but to be honest, I wouldn't even know what movie I'd want to watch first in there. [Yanko Design]

Designed by Michal Mitek, this concept bathroom design is intended to make the most of a space by hiding several features in each aspect of its design. From the LCDs that can either give a beautiful panoramic view or double as computer monitors to the rising floor that covers the tub to turn the area into a fitness floor, everything is smoothly integrated.

I'd love a bathroom like the Roca, but I'll be damned if I can figure out where the soap holder is. [Yanko Design]

Think about it—you can set those tentacles up to spray water in any direction. It's kind of like blending elements of traditional shower heads, rain shower heads and those full-body systems that everyone dreams about owning. [Vado via Trendir via DVICE]

Actually, the sound emitted by Ecohime is supposed to be running water, but as our leader Jason Chen pointed out "it sounds like a standing ovation." Hopefully, version 2.0 will embrace this theme with raucous applause and words of encouragement and praise. "I knew you had it in you!", "Way to be #2!" and so on. [Strapya via Technabob]

Utilitarian German design at its best. [Manufactum via Likecool]

"There are only two things you care about besides the appearance," he explains. "The amount of water coming out and the temperature." This seemingly simple balance between image and duty is one that Norman understands implicitly. As an engineer his priority is making sure things operate properly, but as a psychologist he argues that there's more to functionality than, well, functioning. "Emotions are really the most important part of life. Things have to work well, but they also should excite you."

(Indeed—emotions and faucets go hand in hand. My faucet makes me cry...but how can I stay mad at it?)

To be honest, the reviews of these faucets are disappointing, but the point here is that these simple everyday fixtures are being thought about in a very intellectual way. I mean, Norman talks about the "aesthetic and kinesthetic pleasure" of the water stream for God's sake. I get it though. With a background in art and design I can appreciate the massive amount of engineering that can sometimes be employed on items we take for granted. In fact, some of the most cutting edge designers are working on sinks and faucets these days. Coffee makers are getting this treatment as well. It's just pouring water over a bean but there are some crazy elaborate concepts out there. And why not? These are gadgets we use every single day. [Dwell via BBG]

Koehler (not to be confused with the American Kohler company) also included an elegant control system that increases temperature by twisting the knob on the side and increases water pressure by adjusting the position of the tap. Again, this is only a concept at the moment, but the good news is that you can achieve similar results with a $4 plastic add-on. [Koehler via DVICE]

The Flipside has four separate modes, which you pick from by simply flipping the shower head like a coin, instead of trying to grab that annoying ring most adjustable showerheads use:

•Koverage – for a traditional, everyday shower with maximum water coverage that is perfect for
the morning shower routine
• Kotton – streams a layer of dense, soft, enveloping downpour of relaxation that caresses your
skin
• Komotion – a drenching spray that delivers an exhilarating, circular pattern to refresh the senses
after a tightly-wound day
• Kurrent – provides a focused and invigorating massage spray to target tired or aching muscles

And obviously you can re-purpose the modes for whatever else you can think of. My mom said the first thing she always did when she moved in somewhere new was replace the crappy showerhead, so maybe this isn't the worst time ever to sell this thing, at least to people taking advantage of the real estate crash to buy new digs.

Update: Apparently, it's going to have a list price of $107, meaning you can find it for even cheaper. [Kohler]

The way I see it you have four options: sit directly on the unsanitary toilet, wallpaper the seat with TP squares, use one of those flimsy paper covers, or squat and hover. If you prefer the latter option, but you lack the thigh strength to maintain elevated above the bowl for the duration, this toilet can help.

You see, the user takes a motorcycle-esque stance over the bowl, with their knees inserted into padded grooves to support weight comfortably. Of course, I'm not sure that this concept completely addresses the other major problem with the squat and hover method—(ahem) "discharge containment." The bowl would probably have to be really wide. Yeah, public restrooms are nasty enough already. [The Design Blog]

That tiny panel above the spout is actually an interface for something like a sink-Chumby, which places email, weather and calendars apps on your faucet. Despite coming across as a little flimsy and unresponsive in the video below, the faucet has a certain 1994-film-adaptation-of-Ri¢hie-Ri¢h-starring-Macaulay-Culkin kind of appeal, which is to say, it's just about the most ostentatious bathroom fixture you could possibly own.

But I forsee problems. Having an LCD panel next to flowing water seems like a bad enough idea, but requiring that users control the sink's functions through a touchscreen at the one time when their hands are guaranteed to be wet is a worse one. And of course, before long that screen will look scummier than my flat's bathroom mirror after a few weeks without cleaning, accumulating layer upon layer of mystery residue until it's too gross to touch.

What you see here is just a prototype, but iHouse does actually intend for this product—and others, like a facial-recognition thermostat—to come to market. [iHouse via BornRich]

If you are less about waterparks and more about peaceful zen gardens, the Abisko also evokes the feeling of a gently flowing stream—complete with waterfalls. So far, there is no word on pricing—but it is safe to say that this will set you back some serious cash. Hopefully, they will make a matching urinal version. Now THAT would be something (truly horrible). [Eumar via Trendir via DVICE]

It may not talk to you, but the wall-mounted Ondus does have cool features like a touchpad control, digital temperature readout and handy holders for your soap and cups. The price of this magnificent bathroom fixture is unknown but, as they say, if you have to ask you probably can't afford it. [Grohe via Trendir]

The design creates a sideways waterfall effect that ends up tapering down into a well-targeted spot in the sink itself. It also features LED water temp indicators and an on/off button that looks like it belongs on a piece of home theater equipment. I really love the way it flows though. It looks like you could take a full on shower in the sink if you had to. [Octopus Design via MoCo Loco via DVICE]

Seriously—throw in an LED showerhead and a shower radio and you have yourself a dance club in your bathroom. And that, my friends can only lead to cleanliness with concussions and/or a broken coccyx. [Antonio Lupi via Trendir]

[Apartment Therapy via Core77]

The Ecolight attaches to just about any standard showerhead and it features a LED light that is powered by the running water—so you never need to deal with batteries. It also features an LED temperature ring that turns blue when the temperature is under 78 degrees Fahrenheit and red when it is above 105.8 degrees. So, your protection here is three-fold: psycho attack, shrinkage and burns. Not bad for $40. [Sylvania via Luxury Housing Trends via OhGizmo]

The touch sensitive controls can deliver filtered or unfiltered hot and cold water via two channels in the faucet neck—and the best part is that you will actually be able to by this sometime in the near future. Well, those of us with a lot of money to blow on a faucet that is. [Triflow via Dezeen via DVICE]

That's right, Italian designer Antonio Lupi has brought the iPod dock to the mirror—any mirror with a steel frame to be more precise. It even features an LED-illuminated power switch underneath the mirror to make it easy to find in the candlelight when you and the missus are making sweet, sweet love to the glass-shattering sounds of Michael Bolton. [Antonio Lupi via Newlaunches via DVICE]

The best thing about it? It builds confidence:

"Whew, that was a fierce battle. I feel five pounds lighter. Saaay...I am five pounds lighter!"

Too bad it is only a concept, because the only way to get this kind of functionality is by dropping thousands on one of those fancy Japanese tech toilets. [Yanko]

According to a recent survey conducted by Nokia, 53 percent of Americans have taken a work-related call or email in the bathroom. Although the data has been lost, we conducted a survey in the past that found the percentage could be even higher. So what does this all mean? I think the answer is clear...we want to work in the bathroom. Yeah, it sounds gross but consider this: many of us do our best thinking in the bathroom. Our productivity could skyrocket (in more ways than one). So, I say why fight it. Here are some gadgets to help you get started on your own bathroom-based home office.

Boom Arm Starbase Workstation: Okay let's start with the basics. You are going to need a way to mount your laptop so that it is easily accessible from the toilet. This swing arm should do the job nicely—plus it is height adjustable and comes with a built-in cupholder. Yeah, that's right—a cupholder. You're already working in the bathroom, eating and drinking are not far behind. [easychairworkstation via Link]

The Loo Read: Having a full-on desk in there is going to take up too much space, but you still need a flat surface to spread out paperwork now and then. In that case, the Loo Read has you covered. It may even be sturdy enough to support light or ultraportable laptops. [Link]

Fish n' Flush Toilet: As for the throne itself, you are going to need something a little better than your standard toilet. This particular version uses half its reservoir to create a fish tank—which is perfect for reducing stress at work. Although, I would go easy on the coffee and beef for a while. Reducing the amount of available water in the tank means less capacity for flushing. [Fish n' Flush via Link]

Moody Aquarium Sink: If you would prefer, the aquarium concept is also available in a sink version. [Home Click via Link]

Dell Latitude XFR D630: I suppose it goes without saying, but if you are going to work in the bathroom you will need a laptop that can handle the occasional splash of water. The Dell Latitude XFR D630 can do that and much more. In fact, it meets Department of Defense MIL-STD 810F standards for operation in extreme temps, moisture and altitude. Plus, the specs are decent with a Core 2 Duo processor, 14.1-inch / 500nit screen, 802.11n, and high-end thermal management for the processor and RAM running on XP. [Dell via Link]

MarineAV 70-inch LCD TV: If you are going to get a waterproof display, you might as well go all out with Marine AV's 70-inch TV. It features full 1080p resolution, a 1,500:1 contrast ratio, 600cd/m2 brightness, 8ms response time, 178 degree viewing angle, and AV, S-Video, Component, HDMI, PC (VGA) inputs. [MarineAV via Link]

Wall Mirror TV/PC: There are plenty of mirror TVs out there, but manufacturers are also starting to throw PCs in to the mix as well. The "ARCO" falls into this category with an all-in-one PC, TV and LCD embedded behind mirrored glass. [AVING via Link]

Sonim XP1 Cellphone: A waterproof cellphone in another must-have. The Sonim is rugged enough to handle a beer dunking / car mauling quite easily and even being smashed for weeks on end. The XP1 is a Europe-only release, but an American version is already on its way. [Sonim]

Potty Putter: Indoor putting surfaces are a staple of any office, and so it shall be with your bathroom version. The Potty Putter allows you to sink putts and deuces at the same time. [Baron Bob via Link]

Toilet Vacuum: It's always a good idea to have a desk vac around to handle small cleaning jobs around the office, and none would be appropriate than this toilet-shaped version. [Link]

Bonus: If you are looking for a little inspiration on what a home office bathroom should look like, consider the following examples:

Bathroom Office: Here is an example of a basic setup. The equiptment is old school, but the comfy looking executive toilet is a nice touch.

Roto-Rooter's Pimped Out John: Last year Roto-Rooter ran a contest that rewarded the winner with the ultimate bathroom gadget setup. It came complete with an Xbox 360, 20-inch LCD TV, laptop, TiVo, refrigerator with beer tap, bike pedal exerciser and more. [Kotaku]

Unfortunately, this urinal is one of a kind, but it will be on display at his one-man show entitled "Down The Drain - The Legacy of George W. Bush." at Ruby's Clay Studio and Gallery in San Francisco. The show runs from January 17 to February 16, 2009. Hopefully, visitors will be allowed to relieve themselves in it. Let's be honest—it would be satisfying on multiple levels. [Clark Sorensen via InventorSpot]

[WMD London via Born Rich]

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